tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89338552691892679942024-03-18T09:47:53.193+00:00A Wordy Womanwords, thoughts, ideas, books, art, craft, and observations from my simple life in the slow lane in a small rural Irish villageShari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.comBlogger1285125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-46780110087110273772024-03-17T11:18:00.002+00:002024-03-17T11:18:51.252+00:00Tranquil, Quiet, Soothing<div style="text-align: left;"> 2 a.m. I'm getting ready to go to sleep. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I turn my head and glance through the window. There I see the sideways smile of the crescent moon illuminating a patch of the black sky. I notice the angle of the roof on the other side of the lane, barely visible. I see the square chimney tops and the shapes of windows on buildings sitting in the glow of the streetlights. I stop for a moment or two, just to look and to savor the peace that descends upon me as I sit there. A cloud veils the moonlight for a minute before moving on until the moon is smiling at me once again. I smile back. I slept well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTncffbmjBMTDebOH_Ds_s6e7SkocxebTW3YetVCqP1dogZl4yhqH7KNS4f-MOTOxln0NR8HVCcSVrVbJSNmHceL8pcBJ4DBzOBVmaB5gAN82WFwwrBncWU8H9o_EgV_VYoxqrE7AR-b0zOS-jQ0XQCaUbgFPld35MPEsmbDf9srvLEj2HSkKj6GzHOQ/s1095/2am17mar24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1095" data-original-width="897" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTncffbmjBMTDebOH_Ds_s6e7SkocxebTW3YetVCqP1dogZl4yhqH7KNS4f-MOTOxln0NR8HVCcSVrVbJSNmHceL8pcBJ4DBzOBVmaB5gAN82WFwwrBncWU8H9o_EgV_VYoxqrE7AR-b0zOS-jQ0XQCaUbgFPld35MPEsmbDf9srvLEj2HSkKj6GzHOQ/w524-h640/2am17mar24.jpg" width="524" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-8353661949224703232024-03-10T18:56:00.001+00:002024-03-10T18:56:08.293+00:00Chaotic, Crazy, Crowded<div style="text-align: left;"> At least that's what it felt like. We went to Letterkenny the other day. We needed to have a key made. When we moved in here, the local co-op could cut the keys for the downstairs doors, but not the mortise key to our apartment. We hoped to have better luck with the elderly gent who has a little shop in the Letterkenny shopping centre, so off we went. The bus ride is just under an hour and goes through some very scenic areas. It's all very rural until you get to the outskirts of town. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When we got off the bus, a small older lady with a shopping cart on wheels came up to me and commented on the nice ride. I agreed with her--it's a very pleasant ride. Then she asked me how to get to Primark. I told her that it's called Penney's here and told her how to get there--basically, cross at the crosswalk, go to the right, and keep following the sidewalk to the shopping centre. Go through the doors straight ahead and keep going straight and until you're in Penney's. She kind of vaguely repeated what I'd said, but she still seemed anxious and a little confused, telling me it was her first time 'doing this.' Bill and I had planned to go to the charity shop right by the bus station before going to key man, but I wanted to put her at ease, so I said, 'Why don't we walk you over there?' She protested a little bit, but not too much, and she seemed visibly relieved when I assured her that we were going that way anyway. We got her to where she wanted to go, we got our key, did a bit of grocery shopping, and sat and had some yogurt, since it was lunch time. We were lucky to find a bench because it was crowded. I felt like I was ready for a nap.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Back at the bus stop, things were a bit chaotic because it was 1 o'clock and there are a lot of buses coming and going at that time. Our little 19-seat bus didn't leave until 1:15, but the driver arrived early and was unable to pull in right away because there were a few large buses parked there. The lady with the cart--now full and she also had a shopping bag--looked at me and kind of nodded in the direction of our bus as it pulled up, so I nodded back. But she then tried to board one of the big buses, so Bill and I hastened over to direct her to the right bus, just as a space opened up for it. She looked at me with wide eyes and said, 'There are just so many buses and people. It's a lot.' We all got settled in for the pleasant ride home (we got off in the village before hers). Soon we were away from the crowded town and back in the countryside, once having to stop on a dime to let three sheep cross the road. It was a relief.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was thinking about this lady as we were on our way home and I realized that I always find Letterkenny somewhat stressful. Once we're done there, I always feel drained. It's the largest town in Donegal, but it only has a population of around 19,000. In the past, I have lived in larger towns that were considered quite small and rural, but I am apparently no longer used to dodging people as I go and having so much going on at once. I don't actually dislike Letterkenny. There are things worth going there for--the museum, art exhibitions, and of course, the library. It's just that the sensory overload really takes a lot out of me somehow. Now that I have paid attention and am aware of this, perhaps I can prepare better in the future. Or I will just know that when I get home, I will be tired and ready for a nice cup of tea and I'll look forward to that!</div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-60639789076762731472024-03-01T19:47:00.004+00:002024-03-01T21:46:37.789+00:00Crochet Socks Tutorial/Instructions<div style="text-align: left;"> I was recently asked for a tutorial/pattern/instructions for some crocheted scrappy socks, so I put one together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VCzPXhh4Ph3gjDcWjUBp9YiiT4XCn51TihhyphenhyphenP3n6tUMGZhbRqIlCQQseTEeKFT-fZPZ6edsmv9oNaJMluG2zEsK7M-vzC6F6BXv1vNl3a2AVzpEnr_Gf9DZvxjHm-mUdK5J6I6T7GTnA2J_qWdatDTEgMFpnBwyaNZFOukKPig8GriYwKlyvKGTyzp8/s555/march%2023%20scrappy%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="387" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VCzPXhh4Ph3gjDcWjUBp9YiiT4XCn51TihhyphenhyphenP3n6tUMGZhbRqIlCQQseTEeKFT-fZPZ6edsmv9oNaJMluG2zEsK7M-vzC6F6BXv1vNl3a2AVzpEnr_Gf9DZvxjHm-mUdK5J6I6T7GTnA2J_qWdatDTEgMFpnBwyaNZFOukKPig8GriYwKlyvKGTyzp8/w279-h400/march%2023%20scrappy%201.jpg" width="279" /></a></div>Before I get to the process, there are a few preliminaries. First, this post will be quite photo heavy, in case that's an issue. Second, this is a description of the process I use and not a traditional pattern. When I was experimenting to find the crochet sock construction/stitches that I like best, I was trying them on my own feet, so the numbers I use are specific to me. The good news is that the process is easily adapted so different feet and different thicknesses of yarn. I make mine with sock/fingering weight yarn, but the same construction method could be used with any yarn weight. Also, for my socks, I use a US E hook with the sock yarn. I am a tight crocheter. For those who crochet more loosely, a smaller hook might be better. You don't want a loose, floppy sock. They will wear better if they aren't loose and drapey. <div><br /></div><div><b><u>Crochet Socks Process Tutorial </u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Supplies</b>: yarn of your choice and an appropriate hook. I use sock yarn, which has some nylon in it for strength. Mohair is also very strong and would work well for slipper socks.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the scrappy socks, I begin by gathering my scraps of sock yarn and joining them using the Russian join method--this way I don't have knots. There are many youtube videos that show how to do this, if needed. I simply put yarns together that I think will work well next to one another. When I have a decent size ball, I start crocheting. If I need to, it's easy enough to just add more.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Stitches Used</b>: US hdc (which is UK half treble), chains</div><div>to make a hdc, yarn over, insert hook in stitch and pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through all 3 loops on hook</div><div><br /></div><div>These socks are constructed from the toe up, so you can try them on as you go. They also have an afterthought heel, which means that if you wear out your socks on the underside of the heel like I do, you can take the heel off and add a new one. So starting at the toe, continuing through the foot, making a flat piece to cover the area between foot and ankle in front, then the cuff is the basic way these are constructed. Then yarn for the heel is joined and the heel created.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6GFSFZg4El4pR6_T1eGL7_miHFmk_Ao8hgf876PuqKGmdLHYrhCm7zy5RVN0aovB1aYcBLmoWszh_cQOtgJkt5GLg3asEGO3WGOP6ncw3ABOmttfzPTnvDnGRQNmhJwTFPJ9A0pchMsQ6f6pxhMsEjrhOcMCSokvV1Witgn-WcXoH6DEZJOUxHC443w/s524/4%20july%2023%20heel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="524" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6GFSFZg4El4pR6_T1eGL7_miHFmk_Ao8hgf876PuqKGmdLHYrhCm7zy5RVN0aovB1aYcBLmoWszh_cQOtgJkt5GLg3asEGO3WGOP6ncw3ABOmttfzPTnvDnGRQNmhJwTFPJ9A0pchMsQ6f6pxhMsEjrhOcMCSokvV1Witgn-WcXoH6DEZJOUxHC443w/w400-h388/4%20july%2023%20heel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Chain 11, half double crochet (hdc) in 3rd ch from hook (the 2 skipped chains count as your first stitch). Hdc until you reach the last chain. 3 hdc in last chain--you will now see that you are ready to work across the other side of the chain (all of the following photos show a sample sock that I made for the purposes of this tutorial using thicker yarn and a bigger hook, so things would be easier to see. Each section is in a different colour)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TycxRHqlok710Odtbs2HJ1y8nuANFPyGZTGVQ8bqSnZB8Pi3THLqcrk3DTGCP652kecidAlY0HFEzhxqmeGE6M3AbTtcp9Ul4I3UA7luDYmxuMVloYqDNwvGgEivjqpIF2rQ3vuQpd65Ffr2oiu4124uHUEwLDD7v5EMfv33wdVAJ8UkC-_I255S6dE/s490/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="490" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TycxRHqlok710Odtbs2HJ1y8nuANFPyGZTGVQ8bqSnZB8Pi3THLqcrk3DTGCP652kecidAlY0HFEzhxqmeGE6M3AbTtcp9Ul4I3UA7luDYmxuMVloYqDNwvGgEivjqpIF2rQ3vuQpd65Ffr2oiu4124uHUEwLDD7v5EMfv33wdVAJ8UkC-_I255S6dE/w400-h259/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Work a hdc in each of the chains along this side, making 3 hdc in the last stitch. Do not join. It may be helpful to mark this last stitch in each round until you've finished the toe section.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCXlKdluwS4g73AQH2u87-0nEnU2juWSEG2FvVuOLTTyr0Ryen1kQlLfcBRC8ImxVkJuKvPTRLoriLUGGGbehzmNX10kgL-5fWhSIzjekW6NYteMg0cMtXuF6pdF55jPO_sFhKOqr-c6pKJb_bPZoGK5t95Y5A9RPSsRX5OPfiWArVODeTK7Hi6B9VbU/s489/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="489" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCXlKdluwS4g73AQH2u87-0nEnU2juWSEG2FvVuOLTTyr0Ryen1kQlLfcBRC8ImxVkJuKvPTRLoriLUGGGbehzmNX10kgL-5fWhSIzjekW6NYteMg0cMtXuF6pdF55jPO_sFhKOqr-c6pKJb_bPZoGK5t95Y5A9RPSsRX5OPfiWArVODeTK7Hi6B9VbU/w400-h203/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>Continue making hdc around, working in the very back (3rd) loop. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOjSWJy1ThMg-yKJmzm3qyviFEvAaBFMDuGfMbKnqTiGlzHVI6qEhJYObGZUGHuV2SumWSV5Ysiy4Idb3Cx3eTfxMdZdS-60ydT6T3jKHkR5xpKrjjwHnZubmkTWG3jQumlo4M1bkBLaIufBay5lzt8b7q-m183fneXU3DGODdA7dSQtMXJGW_31CjCs/s488/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="488" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOjSWJy1ThMg-yKJmzm3qyviFEvAaBFMDuGfMbKnqTiGlzHVI6qEhJYObGZUGHuV2SumWSV5Ysiy4Idb3Cx3eTfxMdZdS-60ydT6T3jKHkR5xpKrjjwHnZubmkTWG3jQumlo4M1bkBLaIufBay5lzt8b7q-m183fneXU3DGODdA7dSQtMXJGW_31CjCs/w400-h349/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6LF6L9BdzpXuQkHxGuke0rFdmfkLRjiDqqH9vESgmUktj989WZPmyQkIWA2A9jnD1vq5BHLpXFd5_SuW9KAGnYhBTOKdNhVEzZp1l0aj-p7D5Ccdtir-f7RAovYwAS8xdG9AMns7nQyVS3W9K6a0Z0z3ZHRRERqiORH6DykFyfYoqCIikidO_J42ku4/s284/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="284" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6LF6L9BdzpXuQkHxGuke0rFdmfkLRjiDqqH9vESgmUktj989WZPmyQkIWA2A9jnD1vq5BHLpXFd5_SuW9KAGnYhBTOKdNhVEzZp1l0aj-p7D5Ccdtir-f7RAovYwAS8xdG9AMns7nQyVS3W9K6a0Z0z3ZHRRERqiORH6DykFyfYoqCIikidO_J42ku4/w400-h354/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Make 1 hdc in each stitch, except for the 3rd stitches in the group of three at either end, where you will work 3 stitches. This stitch skews right, if you're right-handed, so increasing in the 3rd stitch keeps the increases at the ends.By working in this 3rd loop, you will push the first 2 loops to the front and this is what will create the ridges.</div><div><br /></div><div>Try on the toe cap as you go. You want it to cover your toes width-wise, without any ease. When you reach this stage, stop increasing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQf8JESZHiZCwEiWlfJM6DMlS_34r_DynpuvYST1OZ8b9FJAKxXJ3395cW5oGQqUWPAJxPYOtqzwAEKrbM_uBEmyMswc4Dtp0fTsXMvWLpRm6MaQBIOWAjoQlADmmn7ZWQWIkkQWmkRmDkvfCBm6-4A8GUzKCR31LyYXPMbREPW5OhgsI6K4h6f7s9AA/s489/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="489" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQf8JESZHiZCwEiWlfJM6DMlS_34r_DynpuvYST1OZ8b9FJAKxXJ3395cW5oGQqUWPAJxPYOtqzwAEKrbM_uBEmyMswc4Dtp0fTsXMvWLpRm6MaQBIOWAjoQlADmmn7ZWQWIkkQWmkRmDkvfCBm6-4A8GUzKCR31LyYXPMbREPW5OhgsI6K4h6f7s9AA/w400-h269/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoALlQ8F9qaACMQMyfyGuftS-7e-nDsZf-ryYnamse_qFf0gVgLRfn2BpejwiZsww6U4Ik0UtRV-dozI7jXJba8nOY7_-3-xnx1wyewMltjyKIqDbE67t18YsNv3TqmZvTc-TLXVqhjOpfrbS2ou7j1_Bun0CNhTl5QmIMMGCG3cIASG4vMefXo_4IpK0/s480/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="480" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoALlQ8F9qaACMQMyfyGuftS-7e-nDsZf-ryYnamse_qFf0gVgLRfn2BpejwiZsww6U4Ik0UtRV-dozI7jXJba8nOY7_-3-xnx1wyewMltjyKIqDbE67t18YsNv3TqmZvTc-TLXVqhjOpfrbS2ou7j1_Bun0CNhTl5QmIMMGCG3cIASG4vMefXo_4IpK0/w400-h264/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Then continue working 1 hdc in the 3rd loop of each stitch, without joining at the end of the rounds. Just keep going around until the sock just meets the junction of the top of your foot and the bottom of your leg. Do not make this part too long. These socks stretch some in width, but a lot in length, so bear that in mind.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ErVS-cR2E7pG1y0-ZcCknEIkBG3J4Di9gXjadiLCA4sF1gv4KDKy-_Qnjg_ZW9LiiQaNje_yuEJ2ovMixl05EnKLU3gfHt8WpnIpuV2EaYEdZeeFDsZYEpuMtJ-JoBT6UjmlT9AOi0SLroOPPa-P-8eMXOCd6AkL2EiV8xQ8OJmWJ9QASj2QqGGaNrU/s613/7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="381" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ErVS-cR2E7pG1y0-ZcCknEIkBG3J4Di9gXjadiLCA4sF1gv4KDKy-_Qnjg_ZW9LiiQaNje_yuEJ2ovMixl05EnKLU3gfHt8WpnIpuV2EaYEdZeeFDsZYEpuMtJ-JoBT6UjmlT9AOi0SLroOPPa-P-8eMXOCd6AkL2EiV8xQ8OJmWJ9QASj2QqGGaNrU/w249-h400/7.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><br /><div>When the foot is the appropriate length, it's time to work flat for a few rows, so lay it out as pictured and for the next round, stop when you get to the halfway point. Then work hdc in 3rd loop for the other half of the stitches (for example-the socks I make for me are 44 stitches around, so I do 22 stitches and stop). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTc474e7prCYX8eXwTXVuLQZxvlnwgdVyjnfdRQH9-kbv83-sMtB_C5rzEsJEmN-0jPsi4_tQtBdZKiCXeEWvWhKaGbRzfof34RePyylc5gct4zgjzokZeORj7l2CZUz3Iyf_QnIqOw7h3aQXVYSEJ_tgdmNA5OEsa2XwxGzqU_y6F7rbqk6yx4rLlILI/s527/8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="474" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTc474e7prCYX8eXwTXVuLQZxvlnwgdVyjnfdRQH9-kbv83-sMtB_C5rzEsJEmN-0jPsi4_tQtBdZKiCXeEWvWhKaGbRzfof34RePyylc5gct4zgjzokZeORj7l2CZUz3Iyf_QnIqOw7h3aQXVYSEJ_tgdmNA5OEsa2XwxGzqU_y6F7rbqk6yx4rLlILI/w360-h400/8.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div>Ch 1 (does not count as a stitch), turn, and work back over half of the stitches (in my case, the same 22 I just did), but through the FRONT loop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwAHzaLA1zh-VapNHmIYLyHFLNUMsgXFJQtCW1PXd6HQ-TGl7edfIUiSVQRg6m90-eANiGezGWXF1_lInz1dXAjn75eQwSyviM7ZZic3MTBgJaJB40a5wx0eNhzgvunwxwVboDthOoxsWVeAIoR8n5i-Vl-xOCLy_nO8JgoarmoIyomVg0J973u46RZA/s487/9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="487" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwAHzaLA1zh-VapNHmIYLyHFLNUMsgXFJQtCW1PXd6HQ-TGl7edfIUiSVQRg6m90-eANiGezGWXF1_lInz1dXAjn75eQwSyviM7ZZic3MTBgJaJB40a5wx0eNhzgvunwxwVboDthOoxsWVeAIoR8n5i-Vl-xOCLy_nO8JgoarmoIyomVg0J973u46RZA/w400-h379/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>At the end of this row, ch 1, turn, and hdc through the 3rd loop in every stitch across. Don't forget the very last stitch as it's easy to overlook and can be a bit fiddly.<div>Repeat the last two rows one more time. At the end of the last row, you will have the front of your sock facing you and it's time to set up for the cuff. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cHyzXH215grVvaTIyHc5oDF9fS4rI4fwQnjAjmRMTcig3LS4iSUlAIpBjAXDHK2POTj6SKMS7KP8x4Q_0ioKXBfv480O2TsxwVrH1fr4Iraf0MHqz_Do80glaXHJOsdH9_4p45IMjf3xMYk3O1VBYm_C30-p-n-v2Z3F3RX35QsjoL9oGdjdYkao5z4/s653/10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="490" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cHyzXH215grVvaTIyHc5oDF9fS4rI4fwQnjAjmRMTcig3LS4iSUlAIpBjAXDHK2POTj6SKMS7KP8x4Q_0ioKXBfv480O2TsxwVrH1fr4Iraf0MHqz_Do80glaXHJOsdH9_4p45IMjf3xMYk3O1VBYm_C30-p-n-v2Z3F3RX35QsjoL9oGdjdYkao5z4/w300-h400/10.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Simply make a chain that is a few more than half of your foot stitches (example: my foot is 44 stitches and I make 27 chains--if you have thin ankles you might want fewer, if thicker, you might want more)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6F9GHv8uC92RNYH9sas_9TM4TqiUa830PN25z3BPD0NqefrP3hwm5wQht6-lzBEFmB9Y2LsIFVxItRWdazjTneCqvEjfgsKVmgescJOxVlg-YwXkFBUYfIK6MfCkUNPUKGDfCFIoNXA_njK5j7drWRk-W_7j_LHEZybhtA4MIirKW7eMAu3_MPHNmYc/s488/12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="488" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6F9GHv8uC92RNYH9sas_9TM4TqiUa830PN25z3BPD0NqefrP3hwm5wQht6-lzBEFmB9Y2LsIFVxItRWdazjTneCqvEjfgsKVmgescJOxVlg-YwXkFBUYfIK6MfCkUNPUKGDfCFIoNXA_njK5j7drWRk-W_7j_LHEZybhtA4MIirKW7eMAu3_MPHNmYc/w400-h303/12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>Join with a hdc in the first stitch of the flat part.</div>Now go back to working hdc in every stitch around and around without joining at the end of the rounds. If you prefer, you can use a different stitch pattern for the cuff. Just work in the round until your cuff is as tall as you want it. Fasten off.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8W7YSY2F5Y2uWnU-PjUMuoZ7P6_36drI2wDDc3_P2oi2p2HDkL4UIb4_kcqqxOKa5XsndXgkiI-2sBP_GdBBHMlSaJKlHbwxGI-SxORdz29szMvLnERwftaR3uuQFPAwhp8cJI8S-uCpLTh70-YOw4DrLMfEKATlJEoYItLfUgrLvcmT1HW3OxpAt0c/s551/13.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="356" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8W7YSY2F5Y2uWnU-PjUMuoZ7P6_36drI2wDDc3_P2oi2p2HDkL4UIb4_kcqqxOKa5XsndXgkiI-2sBP_GdBBHMlSaJKlHbwxGI-SxORdz29szMvLnERwftaR3uuQFPAwhp8cJI8S-uCpLTh70-YOw4DrLMfEKATlJEoYItLfUgrLvcmT1HW3OxpAt0c/w259-h400/13.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from back of sock--the gap is for the heel</td></tr></tbody></table>Attach yarn in any stitch of the bottom of the cuff. Hdc until you get to the sides of the flat section. Yarn over, insert hook in the end of a row, pull up a loop, insert hook in the end of the next row, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on your hook.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2brUX2-nAlolBBUdOiUI7H8-tIw5H9CSdqMe1_W6_JUknp6t6igMQZixOisFL-mKBXoFTE4BEiak68knUjWW2PcUzitXZ4XUN5dQO4IYpHBNB8bgwmkrTDOvwh3v3fkdXvtt1-ZeeH-Z_E1bG3UaXMHaER9OnUz8_XMx5e3JUSWg7VNiOxS5kl6HBh0/s609/13a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="609" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2brUX2-nAlolBBUdOiUI7H8-tIw5H9CSdqMe1_W6_JUknp6t6igMQZixOisFL-mKBXoFTE4BEiak68knUjWW2PcUzitXZ4XUN5dQO4IYpHBNB8bgwmkrTDOvwh3v3fkdXvtt1-ZeeH-Z_E1bG3UaXMHaER9OnUz8_XMx5e3JUSWg7VNiOxS5kl6HBh0/w400-h261/13a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwK4ums8VYYDP6xlaOxZp9-yhMjR8FMzXnS_GAOqEwNFWPO2wFp14lDAGUHxKqfOA7jFwmHcWVYiRVkys0fwxBv02n00JsqnQj_DZn3uhXXjdA-ue8WQ-qdJuPfmOFQ7m1lM4TnMRcXf71rC-jgLLOI8caNbRVIO2ekS-eimsnuHaQYXEMcSmbtF5Rf4/s561/14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="561" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwK4ums8VYYDP6xlaOxZp9-yhMjR8FMzXnS_GAOqEwNFWPO2wFp14lDAGUHxKqfOA7jFwmHcWVYiRVkys0fwxBv02n00JsqnQj_DZn3uhXXjdA-ue8WQ-qdJuPfmOFQ7m1lM4TnMRcXf71rC-jgLLOI8caNbRVIO2ekS-eimsnuHaQYXEMcSmbtF5Rf4/w400-h290/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Yarn over, insert hook in the end of the next row, pull up loop, insert hook in the end of the next row, pull up loop, yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on hook.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0JJPMYj80CXdiy3qzy1SMsqTezN7KvCV7RFdw3CeAuqVK-rik7Y75Cv7GlqHjYEVJASBxyG_syM9Hsmr09bFvtzdBhyphenhyphenp-5ZzbQ8zL4Scyep8x2qqgIY_uYpICTpPWSMXw0JlAC5aZq3R43VHJO8sU8ms-n02A6Ye3IACzSEjowLPq-eMoknU-lhiKoI/s539/15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="539" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0JJPMYj80CXdiy3qzy1SMsqTezN7KvCV7RFdw3CeAuqVK-rik7Y75Cv7GlqHjYEVJASBxyG_syM9Hsmr09bFvtzdBhyphenhyphenp-5ZzbQ8zL4Scyep8x2qqgIY_uYpICTpPWSMXw0JlAC5aZq3R43VHJO8sU8ms-n02A6Ye3IACzSEjowLPq-eMoknU-lhiKoI/w400-h291/15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Continue on to foot section--hdc in each stitch across until you come to the next flat section, then repeat what you did on the other side.</div><div><br /></div><div>Continue hdc around, decreasing twice on each side. When you're approaching the first decrease in the group of two, stop one stitch before you get there and yarn over, insert hook in stitch, pull up a loop, insert hook in decreased stitch on previous round, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. Then yarn over, insert hook in next decrease stitch from previous round, pull up loop, insert hook in next stitch, pull up loop, yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. Work hdc in each stitch across foot. At the decrease section, repeat the process you did on the other side. Work around like this until the heel fits your foot well or until there are just a few stitches left. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvQE3GPcvqKNaf5O31uXYoO42cSOtMSGBdmmiNrAyfBFz37_3-W6MiKL1k6y7iF382m_Wr-ay4n7hZh3-gOmu0P3L_ZzbumWBCjMwAnIKEe0BuNNpak2XgqnaIps6x4FRvB_WZ9Nsy61hIQUV8FHE__o4CdK_HGbuaL0A3CP-3F6MK_0JXHuB0sncmf0/s641/19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="453" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvQE3GPcvqKNaf5O31uXYoO42cSOtMSGBdmmiNrAyfBFz37_3-W6MiKL1k6y7iF382m_Wr-ay4n7hZh3-gOmu0P3L_ZzbumWBCjMwAnIKEe0BuNNpak2XgqnaIps6x4FRvB_WZ9Nsy61hIQUV8FHE__o4CdK_HGbuaL0A3CP-3F6MK_0JXHuB0sncmf0/w283-h400/19.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>Thread the yarn tail through a tapestry needle and sew the opening closed. Weave in all ends.<div><br /></div><div>Note: When doing the heel, I insert my hook through both the 2nd and 3rd loops so the heel is sturdier and less stretchy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixw3AJDa-yNaBKrwZ2IuzLNtnfEK23DWjqYqMGR21ZZbsaSWDmcxkxW8JR7HAw2CUTijCxo7vuJp8jjgto5Iv7sSZsOA522zbS9noeGR5wvl3epsUy_06Td9BOgJwadPD2IJpBlC4xCuoe9_MiIo42_3Euu24avelsINp-4uIfjME0P_xV9D6COrffUJY/s490/18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="490" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixw3AJDa-yNaBKrwZ2IuzLNtnfEK23DWjqYqMGR21ZZbsaSWDmcxkxW8JR7HAw2CUTijCxo7vuJp8jjgto5Iv7sSZsOA522zbS9noeGR5wvl3epsUy_06Td9BOgJwadPD2IJpBlC4xCuoe9_MiIo42_3Euu24avelsINp-4uIfjME0P_xV9D6COrffUJY/w400-h296/18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>So that's how I make my crocheted socks. I love them. They're very comfortable, cushy, and cosy. They use less yarn than knitted socks do. And they're great for scraps. You can also easily make toes and heels a contrasting colour. It's all up to you.</div><div><br /></div><div>If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to answer. Happy crocheting!<br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-6851425925991118612024-02-29T10:32:00.000+00:002024-02-29T10:32:24.816+00:00Maurice and Maralyn A Whale, a Shipwreck, a Love Story by Sophie Elmhirst<div style="text-align: left;"> Maurice and Maralyn</div><div>A Whale, a Shipwreck, a Love Story</div><div>by Sophie Elmhirst</div><div><div>ISBN<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9781784744922</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOgcPOh3pCWSUtqb_9zfd_edjHBGSwnaIEx6rhmEOuMiZvNlxhOaceGYP76uCB7y9xN5alxKt1qPiRC3NtZs4NuvVHHoojYBoER29D_lhlgDbrtd46DMGCajBxZyxU-V40-rwkkk5W5bY6STTvY-c3dfRzeCHHWQvi_X13HVIx1XLRW8dVBbkhQOH74A/s6748/image003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4499" data-original-width="6748" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOgcPOh3pCWSUtqb_9zfd_edjHBGSwnaIEx6rhmEOuMiZvNlxhOaceGYP76uCB7y9xN5alxKt1qPiRC3NtZs4NuvVHHoojYBoER29D_lhlgDbrtd46DMGCajBxZyxU-V40-rwkkk5W5bY6STTvY-c3dfRzeCHHWQvi_X13HVIx1XLRW8dVBbkhQOH74A/w400-h266/image003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>After they got married in the 1960s, Maurice and Maralyn were feeling stifled by their suburban British life So in the early 1970s, they sold their bungalow, had a boat built, finished the inside themselves, and set off to sail to New Zealand. Because they wanted to be truly away from 'civilization' they did not have a radio on their boat and they planned a route away from shipping lanes. They were happy and content with life at sea until one morning, a wounded whale rammed their boat, leaving a large hole. In less than an hour, they were on a life raft and dinghy with what few things they'd been able to salvage, watching their boat sink. Thus began their 118-day ordeal, drifting in the sea, trying to survive.</div><div><br /></div><div>This book is the story of that event, but also of Maurice and Maralyn's relationship, which is almost a character in its own right. The relationship they had with one another was the foundation of everything--the choice to go on the voyage in the first place, the way it changed once the disaster had occurred, how things unfolded after it was over, and more. We see a bit about Maurice and a bit about Maralyn, but much more about Maurice-and-Maralyn. Today there is more acceptance of those who don't fit well within the confines of conventional society, but back then--at least in the world of US suburbia where I come from--there was little tolerance for those who didn't want to live that kind of life. I was fascinated by their strategies for dealing with that and by their survival strategies when things went horribly wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a great book--part adventure story, part love story, part self-discovery story. I devoured it and I highly recommend it.</div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-50884230055799077122024-02-27T20:07:00.002+00:002024-02-27T20:07:24.423+00:00Loving Little Scrappy Squares <div style="text-align: left;"> One day as we were coming home from doing some errands, Bill reminded me that he never took pictures of the cuddly poncho I was wearing, so I stood there, stuck out my arms, and he clicked. I finished it quite a while ago and I love it. I loved making it, love the way it turned out, and love wearing it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dIPvAebdgX2HZq_sIc7zhFQ7DILhxjDFMKCKRD5WwfwEAjQrtz6jvXKgk7EuR2sbp4haEjfkukoFct_B56aM-YaBMPpkc6TaW-M3atzq6qTYOoiAhTx1s5UoVPqf1bvsQeAPFFzmVOutpBeHgMo8xy3UoUUS3JfUCQgHD_65Aca4qN1_wPHYVYM7w4A/s618/poncho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="618" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dIPvAebdgX2HZq_sIc7zhFQ7DILhxjDFMKCKRD5WwfwEAjQrtz6jvXKgk7EuR2sbp4haEjfkukoFct_B56aM-YaBMPpkc6TaW-M3atzq6qTYOoiAhTx1s5UoVPqf1bvsQeAPFFzmVOutpBeHgMo8xy3UoUUS3JfUCQgHD_65Aca4qN1_wPHYVYM7w4A/w400-h296/poncho1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2cxa6H4ZffEkxwfHBTEDxYoJoG-ULuw28-XtaCBuSW-TQNJa8sgJ-b2NKetXMDqmLSr2uB4GXaOXhRZXbbejPS94oM_eHnC2KP6cdQdjYkHCPHpQWs67UD_XaxWk0f1ym4glJNrONTstai3AFvq6Sh70DAx-V1801XSemyz6gO-LhuVAcvMFP0cWORM/s649/poncho2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="649" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2cxa6H4ZffEkxwfHBTEDxYoJoG-ULuw28-XtaCBuSW-TQNJa8sgJ-b2NKetXMDqmLSr2uB4GXaOXhRZXbbejPS94oM_eHnC2KP6cdQdjYkHCPHpQWs67UD_XaxWk0f1ym4glJNrONTstai3AFvq6Sh70DAx-V1801XSemyz6gO-LhuVAcvMFP0cWORM/w400-h344/poncho2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">There are 224 squares, all made on my pin loom from odd balls and scraps of yarn that I'd been given or found in charity shops, most left from other projects. I did a simple crochet border using yarn that a friend brought back from a Boston thrift store. It was on a huge cone. So far, I've used it to make a sweater, fingerless gloves, sock cuffs, and more and I still have some left.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love my pin looms. This one has the pins further apart than most so I can use chunkier yarn or thinner hard held doubled if I want. I can also use a single strand of thinner yarn for a more open weave. The loom uses less yarn to make a square than knitting or crocheting would, so even small scraps go a long way. Some of the squares are plain weave but a few have a more textured weave pattern. All the yarn is wool, mohair, or a combination.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Both the weaving and the sewing together are very meditative activities and it's nice to relax into a project, play with colour and texture, and see how things unfold.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-79183767635796892802024-02-26T19:21:00.001+00:002024-02-26T19:21:28.963+00:00What Day Is It and Where Am I?<div style="text-align: left;"> Well, 2024 has been a weird year so far. The days have passed by in a blur. First, Bill and I coughed our way into the new year--that annoying tickle that pops up randomly and wants to hang around for a while, preventing sleep and being generally aggravating. By the time that was over, we had days of ice, particularly on one side of the street, so we didn't get out much. Finally that was over and I took my computer in to be looked at. As I suspected, the cord wasn't staying firmly in the port so it wasn't getting any power. Joe, the tech guy, said he might have the part but if not, he'd order it and I should check back in a few days. I did this and found that the one he had was a smidge too short. The only one he could find to order was in Germany and it was on its way. Three weeks later, it arrived and he sent me a text to say it was ready. Not only did he fix that, but he replaced some other cord thing and cleaned my crumb-filled keyboard--all for €45! It was nice to have it back and working properly, but my use of it didn't last long because right around the time I got it back, we started moving.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We didn't move far--just to the building that used to be in front of us. I've written before about the <a href="https://shariburke.blogspot.com/2023/09/time-marches-on-i-limp-instead.html" target="_blank">beer garden</a> that was across the very narrow 'river' from our bedroom window and the extremely disruptive noise pollution that spewed forth from it. They've done a great deal of work on it over the winter so they use it more than they used to, although January was a lovely, quiet month. It won't be long, though, until spring and summer are in full swing and the crap starts in earnest all over again, so we started looking. As has been the case for a few years, the housing market is very tight (whether buying or renting) and we weren't finding much. There are way more huge houses than there used to be and we don't need a 4 or 5-bedroom house, even if the rent was affordable, which it is not. Still, I obsessively checked my list of websites numerous times a day and hoped something would come up. One day, I noticed that Bundoran had two new listings, so I clicked on them. Both apartments looked really nice in the pictures and one looked just right for us. As I read the description and looked at the map views, I could see where a mistake had been made. The apartment is not in Bundoran at all, but right here in Glenties. And I was pretty happy to see that they both were the apartments that our landlord was refurbishing from pretty much the bare walls soon after we moved to this village. He'd been using them as holiday homes/short term lets, but there was rarely anyone in them. Now he's renting them out on a long term basis. We immediately felt a surge of hope. We like the landlord and the management company--when there's an issue, they're on it. We thought we'd have a pretty good chance at the one we wanted, so Bill put us on the list and we viewed it a few days later. We think that this will help with the noise issue. I don't need silence, but I wanted it dulled enough to make my ear plugs and ear defenders actually work. This place has new insulation and a lot of it. It's configured in such a way that the bedrooms are on the opposite side of the building from the beer garden and there are walls and doors in between. In the old place, the difference in the noise level between the bedroom and bathroom, where the windows faced the source of the noise, and the living room, where the conservatory stood in between, was noticeable, so I am hoping that walls, doors, and distance will work here. It's also up higher than the old place, which is level with the bar. It's a gamble, but given the lack of options, it's one we decided to take. In any case, this is a better apartment. There are small things that make living here more convenient. The full size fridge/freezer means that I don't have to bend down and grope around to find things in a small under-counter fridge or think carefully about how I am going to fit something in there. The small hot water tank means that we don't have to boil the kettle for hot water, which makes doing dishes and food prep quicker and easier. In the old place, the only way to heat water was to burn oil and that seemed wasteful, particularly since it didn't stay hot for very long once we turned it off, so we just boiled the kettle instead. Everything in the new apartment is more energy efficient, including the heat, which is electric. No more buying oil. The insulation is great and there are these little closet things (I call them cubby closets) which are the spaces between the outside walls with their several inches of insulation, and the inside walls, so the place retains the heat well. The furniture is way more comfortable. And there are two bedrooms. We haven't had a noise pollution event since we've been here, so we don't yet know how it will be in that regard.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The move itself was weird, since we were just carrying stuff a short distance. There are a lot of stairs, though, and we have a lot of books, which are heavy. We figured it would be a slow process, but we were wrong. Some friends came over and everything except a few last minute things were brought over in less than two hours. It took a while to sort through everything and get it all put away, but we're pretty much done now. Tomorrow we do the walkthrough at the old place with the letting agent. I guess someone is moving in this week. On Friday, we gave it a good clean and put everything back where it was when we arrived. I am pretty sure the new tenant won't need all 15 of the wineglasses, but they're back in the cupboard now, just in case.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One glitch may have turned into quite a gift. When Bill contacted Vodafone to start a home move process, he was told that someone would contact him to set everything up within 3 business days. Those days came and went with no call, so he called them back and was told the place isn't wired and he should call back when it is. Then Vodafone guy cancelled our broadband in the old apartment right then. I called the management company and they gave me the info so we could log on to the communal wifi that was here for the holiday home guests. It's due to stop within days and the strength was weak, but between that and our phones, we managed. The holiday home wifi is eir(con) who are major rip-off artists, so we didn't want to deal with them (again). We also didn't want to argue with Vodafone, so we returned the modem and said farewell. In the end, we went with a small, Irish, family business called RuralWifi. The modem was delivered today. It took less than 5 minutes to set up. And just like that, we were connected. The strength is good throughout the apartment and the speed is good so far. I'm really hoping this works out, because I'd much rather support these people than the big companies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So that's where we are and what we've been up to. I hope the first couple months of 2024 have treated you kindly.</div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-36452612742867332382024-01-07T18:28:00.004+00:002024-01-07T18:28:31.276+00:00Happy 2024 and Computer Issue<div style="text-align: left;"> I hope the first week of the new year has gone well for everyone! I am having some computer issues--hopefully minor--so only have sporadic access and am never sure how long it will last. Not sure if it's the power cord, a loose connection, or something else, but unless everything is just right and it feels like working, no power makes it to the machine. It feels like a loose connection, but I don't know. I have to place the machine in a particular place, plug it in, fiddle with the cord until the light comes on whilst holding my breath, then slowly back away and hope it keeps charging the battery. Or I give up fiddling if the light won't come on. Sometimes it charges a little and then stops. If it all works, then I have a small amount of time to use battery power, which doesn't last that long. Now that the festive season is over and things are getting back to normal, I will take it to a local tech repair guy and see what he says. The problem has been getting worse and I almost took it in the week before Christmas, but then I came to my senses. Nothing would happen at that time of year--LOL</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-40981575494290997792023-12-23T18:08:00.003+00:002023-12-23T18:08:55.877+00:00Where'd It Go?<div style="text-align: left;"> With the exception of June, which felt like it contained 743 weeks, the year seems to have flown by. Here we are, nearing the end of another trip around the sun. The days are lengthening ever so slightly now, which doesn't make me happy, but also doesn't make me as sad as it used to. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been living my usual verrrrry slooooow October, November, December life as much as possible, savoring the long hours of darkness, the peaceful autumn/early winter vibe, books, and yarn. I had fun experimenting with some scraps of Christmas yarn:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLpKI7CsS8gdB-wBUIWOgEdI8AvNuVPBHDk_bI8t7ZjQ4fJlZqZiTpJVs08b-QiGxKNpncR15tNHU_FloWjhbRcJC-UkwJHqky108xArn4SjhcAeQyew2NQbVAQweAA3jVHK-SZaTJX7fG0V6j2YmLUVpYR4syyr5CQyqatmpsIQxQ4EfzDB-uFFo9lw/s627/dec%2023%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="393" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLpKI7CsS8gdB-wBUIWOgEdI8AvNuVPBHDk_bI8t7ZjQ4fJlZqZiTpJVs08b-QiGxKNpncR15tNHU_FloWjhbRcJC-UkwJHqky108xArn4SjhcAeQyew2NQbVAQweAA3jVHK-SZaTJX7fG0V6j2YmLUVpYR4syyr5CQyqatmpsIQxQ4EfzDB-uFFo9lw/w251-h400/dec%2023%201.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">coiled kumihimo braid with old button from the button stash of a friend's late wife</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSpyfPnw3G27Sl9zgwx19XJVRjVTYa-Drx17cVtlWOdUK8uiVxYifC6_PEdT6xcD1xGef5rRoh8vDsC61CJtC2nUnTEdPgd8TyXYRhUQLIgC-FHJYkSl27Jy2nE7m7WOwUlvfoBiasKo2PVCuTyXVes6j4Y5UMTHWl6tha9wzMMshBaQK_DKdKtqxmiQ/s621/dec%2023%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="331" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSpyfPnw3G27Sl9zgwx19XJVRjVTYa-Drx17cVtlWOdUK8uiVxYifC6_PEdT6xcD1xGef5rRoh8vDsC61CJtC2nUnTEdPgd8TyXYRhUQLIgC-FHJYkSl27Jy2nE7m7WOwUlvfoBiasKo2PVCuTyXVes6j4Y5UMTHWl6tha9wzMMshBaQK_DKdKtqxmiQ/w214-h400/dec%2023%202.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">coiled kumihimo braid with bead from deconstructed charity shop necklace</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Not the best photos, but I quite like the way they turned out and I have another braid on my disk that's in non-Christmasy scraps. I'm not sure whether I will use the ones above as ornaments, sew pins on the backs and make brooches, or maybe one of each. I'll probably just pack them away with the rest of the Christmas stuff in a few days and decide next year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I do hope that you are enjoying these last days of 2023 in whatever ways are meaningful and joyful to you. If you celebrate Christmas, have a very happy holiday. If you don't, may the rest of the year be kind to you and bring much joy. Here's to health and happiness today and in the days ahead.</div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-42769827375656474162023-11-25T10:10:00.001+00:002023-11-25T10:10:32.529+00:00Waiting on the World to Change | Song Around The World | Playing For Change<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/yTU2J2xnkbg?si=mAH_J6DkcM9k_xS0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-89743886765864395572023-11-15T19:28:00.001+00:002023-11-15T19:28:22.670+00:00Exploding Head Emoji<div style="text-align: left;"> The postman comes early here, so when I heard him this morning shortly after I got up, I got dressed in a hurry and had a look. I knew I'd be getting happy mail today or tomorrow because Bill recently got me a voucher from <a href="https://www.kennys.ie/" target="_blank">Kenny's Bookshop</a> and I'd gotten an email saying the order was shipped. After he gave it to me, I spent a few days pondering and clicking around, deciding what to get. I kept a list and made my decisions from that. I was thrilled to see the box in the entryway this morning and even more thrilled when I opened it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjkQTKlbYNJUmLWlVEEg51E-Ew6BoN0V7BITfq1VMetcDTRRb7SB1XV2jFaicKhn6YhHWcrC2QUOeqbSG4SW8-OAdJdbeSSRCmdeFsg8PMnh3hQfOIlBFt-diZalWPZxoPNFIgEae9-ot6PGwIQ8_oFtj6nv-RJ0xj3vtDQL2wx0RxzjEsD_qj_HNRIc/s627/kenny's%2023%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="627" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjkQTKlbYNJUmLWlVEEg51E-Ew6BoN0V7BITfq1VMetcDTRRb7SB1XV2jFaicKhn6YhHWcrC2QUOeqbSG4SW8-OAdJdbeSSRCmdeFsg8PMnh3hQfOIlBFt-diZalWPZxoPNFIgEae9-ot6PGwIQ8_oFtj6nv-RJ0xj3vtDQL2wx0RxzjEsD_qj_HNRIc/w400-h291/kenny's%2023%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBYiYHHdFwKXvryFH00ph68Wq0fGbdHKMxHlBL9ycI_GsNgk4zkv2_4EdWwYO43LQpQ2ArM-XM_7qMQCgQzwJ1zEsSQLZeUk4eqyGHbwXqBMKC5PFY-697iazpaBWlTz30ecBVv80eyzsJqaysoVwHf__Hqq07n0uDtV-SZDiLZ6BdMM7CL7r9j55RlI/s653/kenny's%2023%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="490" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBYiYHHdFwKXvryFH00ph68Wq0fGbdHKMxHlBL9ycI_GsNgk4zkv2_4EdWwYO43LQpQ2ArM-XM_7qMQCgQzwJ1zEsSQLZeUk4eqyGHbwXqBMKC5PFY-697iazpaBWlTz30ecBVv80eyzsJqaysoVwHf__Hqq07n0uDtV-SZDiLZ6BdMM7CL7r9j55RlI/w300-h400/kenny's%2023%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4EuAiQ0J3dV2BHmi2p0j8k1-e4lTyaBEFH64hWFnJHfy2f9A3ZhVVmNStgLvNRm43uEfBDAV1UQjFgYlNa1l3K_jc8SZU3Nm5Xc1rv4S4eeF1siCssLKSTmtH0N9IfouCS2Zjx0pLU_TXcIfJwyoBWPxKzgfFnBvoXZSEJOTuM-vYT07IPHsqZ1CNzI/s630/kenny's%2023%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="453" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4EuAiQ0J3dV2BHmi2p0j8k1-e4lTyaBEFH64hWFnJHfy2f9A3ZhVVmNStgLvNRm43uEfBDAV1UQjFgYlNa1l3K_jc8SZU3Nm5Xc1rv4S4eeF1siCssLKSTmtH0N9IfouCS2Zjx0pLU_TXcIfJwyoBWPxKzgfFnBvoXZSEJOTuM-vYT07IPHsqZ1CNzI/w288-h400/kenny's%2023%203.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>Other than Kristin Lavransdatter, all the books are either comedic (The Caravaners) or at least have elements of comedy and satire (Sketches by Boz and Cecilia). The Undset book contains the entire trilogy. I know I read at least the first one decades ago, but am not sure whether I read all three novels and don't remember anything about the one I know I read, so although it'll be at least partly a re-read, it will seem new. I've not read any of the others. I did listen to a couple Sketches by Boz on the BBC Sounds app--they aired on Radio 4Extra. I laughed quite a bit and after that I decided I wanted the book. Fanny Burney is a new-to-me author, although I've read a bit about her and am intrigued. I was deciding between Cecilia and Evelina. The latter is more well known, I think, and I can read that in installments on the Serial Reader app, which I will do if I like this book. Burney was apparently a big influence on many writers who came later. This book was first published in 1782. Finally, I read about The Caravaners in a blog post that was discussing Elizabeth von Arnim's work in general. I haven't read anything by her, and her better known works, like Enchanted April and Elizabeth and Her German Garden are quite different, from what I've read. Nevertheless, if I like this one, I'll get the e-audiobooks of those from the library. I have Dickens and Burney on my e-reader--they're free on Project Gutenberg--but when a book is several hundred pages long (Cecilia is over 1000), I prefer to read an actual book instead of an ebook.<div><br /></div><div>In anticipation of the arrival of the new books, I organized the ones I already had. We don't have any bookcases, so we do what we can with boxes and the floor. We have a few book towers tucked away in accessible, but out of the way spots. I had some books that I've read so wanted to put elsewhere. As I was shifting books around, I was reminded of how many great books we have. I've been reading so many NetGalley and library e-books that I've been letting my physical books languish. I've decided to focus on those for a while. I've been on a classics kick for a few years now and that shows no sign of abating. I have lots of chunky old books in my pile that I am eager to get to. </div><div><br /></div><div>For the past year, I've been enjoying old writing that makes me laugh. E.M. Delafield and her Diary of a Provincial Lady books, E.F. Benson's six Mapp and Lucia novels, and the occasional P.G. Wodehouse e-audiobook have brought much laughter. I'm looking forward to the comedic elements of my new books--I think I'll start with The Caravaners. It will be a good contrast to the e-book I'm reading now--the last one on my NetGalley shelf. It's an excellent nonfiction book that reads like a thriller, about what would happen in the event someone fires off a nuclear weapon at the US. Given the current situation globally and the threats within the US itself, it's a timely book (to be published in March, if I remember correctly). The author is laying out the history of the military thinking about nuclear weapons, the effects of such a blast, and the minute-by-minute response process that would ensue. The president would have about 6 minutes to decide where to launch the response nukes--and what people to kill/maim. This is not a defensive situation--in spite of what we are told, the interception systems are likely to fail--it would be pure retaliation. And I must say that as I have been reading, I have of the exploding head emoji many times. Of course we all know the very idea of nuclear weapons is nuts, but it's hard to wrap my mind around how very flimsy the entire edifice is. So much can go wrong at so many points in the process--and almost has. Once again, I am astonished that human beings as a species have survived for this long. I have a feeling it will be something of a relief to turn to a comic novel, written more than a century ago, about a pompous German general on a caravan holiday in Kent (UK) in 1906. It's apparently based on a true story. I'm looking forward to it.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-72453407898285383192023-11-09T10:24:00.002+00:002023-11-09T10:24:40.110+00:00Into the Dark: What Darkness is and Why It Matters by Jacqueline Yallop<div style="text-align: left;"> Into the Dark: What Darkness Is and Why It Matters</div><div>by Jacqueline Yallop</div><div><div>ISBN<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9781837730711</div><div><br /></div></div><div>I sometimes joke that I must be part bat--usually when Bill asks me, 'How can you see?' I tell him that I can see just fine. I love the dark in its different gradations. I prefer night to day, cloudy days to sunny ones, and dim light to bright. I'm a night owl and I love the long nights of winter. With the exception of the occasional day of sun on a cold day, bright sunshine agitates me while grey days bring a calm feeling. I need light to read, stitch, or do other tasks at night, but I have a portable USB lamp and a headlamp that I can adjust to shine directly on the page or project, leaving the rest of the room dark. I never turn on the overhead lights. So when I saw this book, I was eager to read it. I'm so glad I did!</div><div><br /></div><div>Jacqueline Yallop has paid attention to the dark since she was 7 or 8 years old and on holiday, spending a night in a farmhouse. It was the first time she ever experienced real darkness--not the kind I described above, but a deep dark that prevented her from seeing the hand in front of her face. From that moment, she was fascinated and paid attention to the dark. This interest only deepened when her father was diagnosed with dementia. One of the things that changed for him was his relationship to the dark. His experience was the opposite of my own. Bright light calmed him and even the fading light of dusk agitated him. He would turn on every light in the house every night. The author knew she could not fully understand her father's experience, but she decided to try to get as close as she could by investigating the dark. What are the ideas we have about the dark? How do we 'see' the dark? How do our bodies process light and dark? This excellent book is the result of her investigation. She observes and cares for her father. She takes herself to unfamiliar places on very dark nights and is very aware of what she is feeling in an attempt to get a little bit closer to understanding the new terrain he is having to navigate.She draws on human experience, biology, philosophy, literature, poetry, visual art, popular culture, folklore, architecture, language, and culture. Her writing is beautiful and often lyrical. There were times I stopped and let the words just sink in.</div><div><br /></div><div>The book is structured in chapters that go along with the phases of the moon--waxing, full moon, waning--and also her father's progression through dementia. This book is so well written and is such a joy to read. </div><div><br /></div><div>I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.</div><div><br /></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-9823411399275762982023-11-04T18:07:00.005+00:002023-11-04T18:14:14.456+00:00Who Cares?<div style="text-align: left;"> This morning, one of the Irish online news sites had a poll question about whether it is 'acceptable' to be playing Christmas music now. There is so much of this kind of thing and sometimes there is anger about it as well. It's a peeve. My issue is with the word 'acceptable.' Acceptable to whom? If you want to play Christmas music now or in January, or in June, or whenever, go ahead. Enjoy. If you don't want to play Christmas music until December, then don't. If you do play it then, enjoy. If you hate Christmas music and never want to hear a bell jingling or what some greedy jerk wants from Santa Baby (I'm with you on this one), then don't listen. Enjoy the silence. If people get some joy, peace, happiness, comfort, or whatever else from listening to Christmas music at any time of year, as long as they're not standing outside blasting it outside someone's window, why on earth should anyone else care--or even notice? I know some people get annoyed when it's played in stores at times unacceptable to themselves. Such is life. When we go into our local wee grocery store, they almost always have a local radio station playing and most of the time, it's playing country western music. I loathe and detest country western music. We get what we are there for and we leave, sometimes laughing at the song/lyrics. We don't get pissed off and demand that it be turned off. It's a different matter when it enters my home, but when I am out in public, I know that people are going to have different tastes from me. I am well into adulthood and can handle it. No one ever asks if it's 'acceptable' to be playing twangy tunes at any time of year and Christmas music should be no different. Some towns have speakers blasting Christmas music in the square. We walked out of a shop in Donegal town a few years ago and Last Christmas--a song I abhor--was playing. Bill and I had a laugh. It ended. I was unharmed. 😉😏<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQtTK38qVLQXa9Y9uH8xkWEv5fhjEIoV_93pT0RWN5oYaH9HVkn740oBCmMmhXO5B7rw8PR52TB0rCM6UZX3lsudKnvTqqjtH_fa3SEactjoD83evdzLV4aXVmHZF7HofxKE-mjGAsj5oNmePy0J20TLtpqndtIC7QFichUTTotvjmnJLlcrlzWG0gVU/s665/19%20dec%2017%20gerry.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="573" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQtTK38qVLQXa9Y9uH8xkWEv5fhjEIoV_93pT0RWN5oYaH9HVkn740oBCmMmhXO5B7rw8PR52TB0rCM6UZX3lsudKnvTqqjtH_fa3SEactjoD83evdzLV4aXVmHZF7HofxKE-mjGAsj5oNmePy0J20TLtpqndtIC7QFichUTTotvjmnJLlcrlzWG0gVU/w345-h400/19%20dec%2017%20gerry.jpg" width="345" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">needle felted base, sea glass, french knots, crochet trim</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-22024158089150798752023-11-03T12:50:00.001+00:002023-11-03T12:50:00.155+00:00Really?<div style="text-align: left;"> We were in Donegal town yesterday and I saw this window box near the Diamond (like the town square).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl5i81A9zWmoZYmGr3-DrmOe4ryDhq_99p5Gs9mfzqQ1Ix6Bhq3E3vH-ohwMIRjWO5BBp0pCM-OLpAgg4_E_eNjxO2CA29EVcWQekFWhCLPsl_uQFYYtfKImKr_MjegXrqDCHSYpJTVVDavyx3aALCQGREYK6Y4aO8hXUauIwZJbFHqdUuRUIxifpOls/s639/plastic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="639" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl5i81A9zWmoZYmGr3-DrmOe4ryDhq_99p5Gs9mfzqQ1Ix6Bhq3E3vH-ohwMIRjWO5BBp0pCM-OLpAgg4_E_eNjxO2CA29EVcWQekFWhCLPsl_uQFYYtfKImKr_MjegXrqDCHSYpJTVVDavyx3aALCQGREYK6Y4aO8hXUauIwZJbFHqdUuRUIxifpOls/w400-h250/plastic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Really? I mean, if you're going to make a window box to display using plastic flowers, at least take off the price tag! 😂😁</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-82364696087275105182023-11-02T12:25:00.001+00:002023-11-02T12:25:00.139+00:00Mistletoe Malice by Kathleen Farrell<div style="text-align: left;"> Mistletoe Malice</div><div>by Kathleen Farrell</div><div>published by Faber and Faber, Ltd</div><div><div>ISBN: 9780571378265</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TIPwAo8KNklo_X49a94Lw2JcOk9sheyOVZxtraLCYoaAdqg-mU7FuVzHJq0ojZkiDi4YVAVLkjMjjB2VctAC3thlCQ5NJBksW2bdPO0UhmxgVn2jvomfjbQq5vtQTpxbdVaqgPPTojdpK4za9MHB1euZU3HlhMeUy2RhfkzNDTgaKJCpEHMsggvmzTw/s392/mistletoe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TIPwAo8KNklo_X49a94Lw2JcOk9sheyOVZxtraLCYoaAdqg-mU7FuVzHJq0ojZkiDi4YVAVLkjMjjB2VctAC3thlCQ5NJBksW2bdPO0UhmxgVn2jvomfjbQq5vtQTpxbdVaqgPPTojdpK4za9MHB1euZU3HlhMeUy2RhfkzNDTgaKJCpEHMsggvmzTw/w416-h640/mistletoe.png" width="416" /></a></div><br /><div>In this fabulous, darkly funny book, which was out of print for a time, members of an extended family who really don't care for one another very much are getting together for Christmas at the behest of the needy, controlling matriarch. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty. Let's just say that things take an unfestive turn and tidings of comfort and joy are not exactly there in abundance. As an example of the feelings people have towards one another, one character says to another, " The very essence of the stupidity of countless generations has solidified into one person. And that person is you..." Yes, one big happy family group together for the festive season.</div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>Rachel, the matriarch, and her niece by marriage, Bess live in the house. Arriving for Christmas this year as they do every year are Rachel's daughter and son-in-law, a niece, and a nephew. New this year is Rachel's ne'er do well son who left under a cloud a long time ago and hasn't been seen since. There is also a cook/housekeeper who is a snoop and a bit nasty. Already complicated relationships are stressed and no one is having a particularly good time.</div><div><br /></div><div>The book takes place over the course of 3 1/2 days. Each section of the book describes one of those days--The Day Before Christmas, Christmas Day, The Day After Christmas, and The Return. There is an afterword at the end, which describes the way in which the book came to be republished and a bit about the author herself.</div><div><br /></div><div>I loved this book. The family is quite dysfunctional, each member in their own way. People are stuck in various ways, which is bad enough individually, but creates new issues when the dysfunction is all enclosed in the space of one house at a time of year when the pressures of the season cause problems of their own. Then the return of the son--a surprise to all of the visitors--adds another layer of tension. All that said, the book is quite funny, in a dark sort of way. I'm thrilled that the book is being republished--the time is definitely right for it--and delighted that I've had the chance to read it! I hope to read more by this author in future. Highly recommend.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I thank NetGalley and the publisher for a digital review copy.</div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-73235793941052083762023-10-31T10:59:00.002+00:002023-10-31T10:59:33.956+00:00Direct Sunlight by Christine Sneed<div style="text-align: left;"> Direct Sunlight: Stories</div><div>by Christine Sneed</div><div>Northwestern University Press</div><div>ISBN<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9780810146167</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-tzJupNE0tftya4Gd-qCtJqdazobIceYmT0vLtbcK5fIDDdsyNh__Z-BwXs5XdMex8gUQD7O1v03XgqBbU-Ebn6-XVSknrJ8I2kWRLW-WVdYDf5bHZIm9NbGKHXWfI3sdNWxFvZibdYhL4p3m-XmzJgKM8YMN51EEHwqNqLQn82PnJMkBrMkH2RaroI/s383/direct%20sunlight.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="255" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-tzJupNE0tftya4Gd-qCtJqdazobIceYmT0vLtbcK5fIDDdsyNh__Z-BwXs5XdMex8gUQD7O1v03XgqBbU-Ebn6-XVSknrJ8I2kWRLW-WVdYDf5bHZIm9NbGKHXWfI3sdNWxFvZibdYhL4p3m-XmzJgKM8YMN51EEHwqNqLQn82PnJMkBrMkH2RaroI/w426-h640/direct%20sunlight.png" width="426" /></a></div><div>Change is always with us, in big and small ways. Sometimes we get to direct it, sometimes it drops down shockingly upon us, and sometimes it sneaks up and surprises us. However it appears, the result is that we have to think again about who we are, who we want to be, what we will do next, and how we will go on with our lives. New relationships begin. Established relationships shift. Sometimes they, along with other parts of our everyday lives, end. We can feel adrift, unmoored, afraid, exhilarated, and more. We adapt and go on.</div><div><br /></div><div>The 12 stories in this collection show us people navigating through changes in their everyday lives. Some of the stories are quietly devastating. Some are hopeful. Some are poignant. All are excellent. Usually in any short story collection there are stories I like better than others and at least one or two that I am not that keen on. Not so with this book! I loved every single story. I did not race through the book, but rather savored one story at a time, before setting the book aside for several hours or a day. Short story as a form can be tricky--there is a lot to do in a small space--and Christine Sneed skillfully and beautifully does it all. With these 12 stories, she has created 12 little worlds inhabited by people going about their daily lives and navigating changes they may or may not have wished for. I felt myself immediately immersed in each world and interested in what was happening to each of these people, sometimes feeling empathy for their situation, sometimes sadness, and sometimes hope. It's not easy for writers to evoke these kinds of feelings, even in long novels. To do so within the confines of the short story form is a particular kind of skill. I had never read any work by this author, but I will definitely seek out past work now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.</div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-5211284247992737472023-10-28T13:00:00.001+01:002023-10-28T13:00:00.140+01:00Poirot Saves Christmas (Again)<div style="text-align: left;"> Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night</div><div>The New Hercule Poirot Mystery</div><div>by Sophie Hannah</div><div><div>ISBN<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9780008380779</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNd3bg8fl4K6RDEkcc0Cq7BpRIRRatKOqpJYlphbFHzAeIEaLMYFw4gPEHlZOMF2X938ef90TmUFEnUj0mE621I6hc7m8cR_gwk1Laew6NddNrjw9nJan9GxQwasBJyw3PZOR6hSmJC2XTXc1OADLwr7TZC22lTbW-nnCCpFMokQotqv1suJdiFc__d0M/s394/poirot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="255" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNd3bg8fl4K6RDEkcc0Cq7BpRIRRatKOqpJYlphbFHzAeIEaLMYFw4gPEHlZOMF2X938ef90TmUFEnUj0mE621I6hc7m8cR_gwk1Laew6NddNrjw9nJan9GxQwasBJyw3PZOR6hSmJC2XTXc1OADLwr7TZC22lTbW-nnCCpFMokQotqv1suJdiFc__d0M/w414-h640/poirot.png" width="414" /></a></div><br /><div>A new book in the Sophie Hannah Poirot continuation series--and one set at Christmas to boot? Yes, please! I was excited to see this book and I was not disappointed! I think it may just have been her best Poirot yet. Can you tell that I loved it? Hannah does a great job with these books, both in characterizing Poirot and in her plots, settings, and supporting characters. These books wouldn't be mistaken for a Christie, but they're well done nonetheless. In this book, Cynthia Catchpool in particular is a fabulous character. I like the way readers are given more insight into the friendship between Poirot and Edward Catchpool. The mystery is twisty enough to be enjoyable, but not so convoluted that it's hard to follow. Poirot is Poirot in all his persnickety glory. There are some surprising plot twists.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;">In this book, Poirot and Catchpool are finalizing their plans for the Christmas dinner they plan to share when they are interrupted by a breathless woman who insists that they must go with her at once to spend Christmas at the large home of a friend. The friend is in distress because her husband, who is quite ill and nearing the end of his days, plans to admit himself to a hospital right after the new year. He wants to spend the time he has left solving the mystery of who killed a patient there three months before. His wife is trying everything she can to convince him not to go because she is sure he will be killed next. The police have had no luck solving the three-month old murder, so Poirot is needed. Things go on from there as Poirot and Catchpool put up with horrible food, a freezing old house, and more.</div><p>The book is also funny. There were places where I laughed out loud at the descriptions she provides. For example, "He spoke in an inelegant manner, one had the sense that a struggle between words and teeth was taking place, with no clear winner emerging.' If you love Christmas mysteries, Hercule Poirot, and/or mystery stories with a collection of quirky characters--some of whom can't stand one another--thrown together in what is supposed to be a festive atmosphere, this would be a great one to pick up.</p><p>I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.</p><p><br /></p>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-35199299837378699822023-10-27T12:47:00.003+01:002023-10-27T12:47:00.145+01:00Do You Mind if I Ask Why?<div style="text-align: left;"> On January 1, 1996, I woke up feeling like crap. This wasn't unusual from either group or personal perspectives. Countless people woke up with hangovers on that day and for me, while it was less common than it had been over the previous 15 years or so, it still happened. Funnily enough, I hadn't consumed nearly as much alcohol as I had on so many other occasions, but I also hadn't eaten very much, so that probably had something to do with the sad state I was in. This time, though, something had shifted and I thought to myself, 'This is so stupid. I'm not doing this anymore.' And I didn't. I was lucky. Somehow I was able to really focus on how I was feeling and associate that with my behaviour around booze, so I actually felt repulsed by the idea of having a drink, instead of having to deal with cravings and the difficulties that come with recovery. Having just a drink or two was never going to be an option, because I knew myself well enough to know that if I started, I wasn't going to stop there, so I just never started--and never wanted to. I went on with my life. Then we moved to Ireland.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Shortly after we got here, we met up with a woman we'd been corresponding with online for a while. Her husband is also from the US. She invited us to spend a couple days at their house, staying overnight. Before dinner, she asked us what we wanted to drink--wine, beer, something else. I opted for coffee. She asked me why I didn't want a drink and then asked if I drank at all. I said I didn't. 'Do you mind if I ask why?' she replied. 'I don't mind at all. I used to drink way too much, so I stopped.' I answered. Then she explained how she doesn't drink that much and only sometimes, and that sort of thing. I was taken aback. I really didn't care what her drinking habits were--she was in her home and not driving anywhere, so none of my business. I nodded, smiled, and probably made some meaningless remark.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple months later, our lovely neighbour invited me to her women-only birthday party, telling me not to bring anything except whatever I wanted to drink. It was summer, so I got some sparkling water with lemon. At the party, I sat between two older women. One was telling me her history about how she went to Chicago for a while to live with an aunt and uncle, arriving at Christmastime and being awed by all the lights and decorations. The other one occasionally made some comments that I found amusing, including that she'd seen us walking around with our backpacks and was so happy that her friend had respectable people as new neighbours. Eventually, she said to me, 'I notice that you're drinking water. Don't you want a drink?' 'No, thank you,' I replied, 'The water is perfect.' Then she asked me if I ever drink. I said I didn't. 'Do you mind if I ask why?' she said. My reply was the same as above. I started getting really interested in why I was being interrogated for my choice to not drink. I was even more interested in the story she told me about her nephew, who stopped drinking and then felt unable to engage in any social activities whatsoever, so never left his house. Then she went on to say, with her slurred speech and while waving the glass that held her 6th or 7th gin and tonic around, 'I've had three and I wouldn't have another if ya shot me for it. I know when I've had enough.'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I came across a book at the library not long after that--a memoir written by an Irish guy who started drinking to excess when a young teenager and who was, at the time of writing, in recovery. He talked about how hard it was to hang out with friends after he stopped drinking because everyone else was and usually to the point where they were drunk. This was at a time when non-drinkers didn't really have too many options in pubs and other such places. As he described it, pubs were where social life happened. People didn't visit each other in their homes, they met at pubs. Celebrations happened at pubs. First communion? Pub. Birthday? Pub. A day ending in 'y'? Pub. Everything was at the pubs. I found that book very useful. As we've lived for the last year near the loud bar and in this village where there are a lot of drunk people wandering the streets yelling, I have started thinking about another reason not drinking would make socializing difficult. It must be a very different experience yelling along to Zombie, slurring through some songs you don't know the words to during karaoke, whooping at the same old bad covers of bad country western songs, or doing a call and response version of Sweet Caroline on opposite ends of Main St when you're drunk than it is when sober. And the whole thing must seem boring and embarrassing if you're not toasted. </div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-13460904821050199232023-10-26T13:05:00.000+01:002023-10-26T13:05:00.148+01:00The Dictionary People: The Unsung Heroes Who Created the Oxford English Dictionary by Sarah Ogilvie<div style="text-align: left;"> Bill saw this book and thought I'd love it, so he bought it for me. Love it I did! It's a fun romp through the alphabet with each letter characterizing certain people who were at the heart of the creation of the Oxford English dictionary.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne-cXe7lsc2p9KB_c2RLdSX3atPUxxgku4mYgBNwjISfzaY7T33clVCyrbKrNfZMKleiXheoNEC1997wrdMcYuuDS_isrQC-PZV9Iihk7iq6WVWSzgzaseBZbNj7X2OaAeE8vDYmwnFPRncv7ViC4LK_TXLEfRjKyeV5Ooe1yst2n_Is6AhRP8184oZ0/s646/dict%20peeps%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="429" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne-cXe7lsc2p9KB_c2RLdSX3atPUxxgku4mYgBNwjISfzaY7T33clVCyrbKrNfZMKleiXheoNEC1997wrdMcYuuDS_isrQC-PZV9Iihk7iq6WVWSzgzaseBZbNj7X2OaAeE8vDYmwnFPRncv7ViC4LK_TXLEfRjKyeV5Ooe1yst2n_Is6AhRP8184oZ0/w426-h640/dict%20peeps%201.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7aB0bPtfZY4Ygp-GlahwrIwnC-o1fg_2yVkEmhR9981Z60nF2qryzylwXrMVdsH3lh0-hDaBc3Dy5qpC2RIeO4nnYP7j-YfXHLqpQpRWil9KNu_X9KcWepibrmZC-T1ghdXo25nFIavfEi5m-pP4fvTqqA86MqMeiWp8iNWSeFE8D4PoJdo8cesdGCQ/s648/dict%20peeps%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="399" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7aB0bPtfZY4Ygp-GlahwrIwnC-o1fg_2yVkEmhR9981Z60nF2qryzylwXrMVdsH3lh0-hDaBc3Dy5qpC2RIeO4nnYP7j-YfXHLqpQpRWil9KNu_X9KcWepibrmZC-T1ghdXo25nFIavfEi5m-pP4fvTqqA86MqMeiWp8iNWSeFE8D4PoJdo8cesdGCQ/w394-h640/dict%20peeps%202.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">What a cast of characters it was! Back in the day when the first edition of the dictionary was being created, the call went out for people to read books and periodicals, pick out words, provide a quote and a citation, and send the slips of paper to the editor. Some people sent in a few and some were more prolific, sending in thousands and even hundreds of thousands in some cases. People from all different walks of life and with wildly varying interests sent in slips, many from publications having to do with their own particular obsessions. This is such a great book, dealing as it does with words, but also brief life stories and even a bit about the culture in which the dictionary was being created. This is a wonderful addition to my book collection and I know I'll be picking it up from time to time to open at random and read some chapters again. </div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-7239084046306207552023-10-25T12:58:00.048+01:002023-10-25T12:58:00.152+01:00Not Perfect, Better<div style="text-align: left;"> It may appear to some readers from posts like yesterday's that I regret coming to Ireland. I understand why it could come across that way, but nothing could be further from the truth. I have never regretted moving here. Are there problems? Yup. Am I sometimes stressed, angry, frustrated, annoyed, etc? Of course. That's life. There were problems in every place in which I've lived and I felt all the things in every place I've lived--and will until I take my last breath. That's being human. Problems are almost always caused by people (including myself) and there are people everywhere. Long before we knew we were moving here, but during the time when it was a long-tern goal, people would ask me if I really thought it would be any different here than in the US. I said I was sure it would be. Once I moved here, people have commented that they sometimes think about moving but, 'since it's the same everywhere, there's no point.' I always reply to this kind of comment that it's not perfect here or anywhere, but it's better than the country I come from--at least for me. And that's the thing--we are all different and different places will suit different people in better and worse ways. I never was and was never going to be comfortable in the US for many reasons. I always felt misplaced. I'm always going to be an outsider here, too, but I am more comfortable. It's easier to live my simple life based on my own set of ethics here than it was there. It's fascinating to live in a country that's only a century old and that has the opposite founding myths to the US. The US myths are about exceptionalism and greatness. There are many problems with this, of course, not least because these blind people right the way across the political spectrum to the fact that the country is susceptible to the same kinds of movements and dangers as other countries. I used to be amazed at how people would genuinely think that certain sorts of political ideology could not possibly happen there because the country is somehow so special as to be immune. This fed into my understanding that leaving was a good idea, since it was glaringly obvious where things were going--and probably without the amount of resistance necessary to slow or halt the progress of such ideas. I think people are grappling with these issues now and it has been traumatic for many who believed their country was somehow something other than what it is. On the other hand, this was a colonized country until a century ago (and some would say that the colonization continues as long as the 6 counties of Northern Ireland remain a part of the UK). The history is close by. There are no delusions of grandeur here, although as things go in certain ways in the UK on one side and the US on another, you can see a bit of smugness start to show itself, which is fascinating. People are people. And yet, it is remarkable how much progress has been made in a short period of time--when Bill and I got married, divorce and birth control were illegal here. When we moved here, Bill voted in the election to legalize marriage equality. This was the first nation to do this by popular vote--and it was not even close. There is no far right political party here like Republicans in the US (the word 'republican' has a different meaning here in any case). There are some scattered hateful people who are trying to organize more with the help of social media and they sometimes pop up, but pushback is swift. And there is more willingness to look at the atrocities committed in the name of the church (which was the main driver of these things here) and to take ownership of them as a society, reminding people that the mistreatment of women and children was something that individuals/society participated in at the time and allowed to happen. Very different than current attempts to pretend that the US was not built on genocide and slavery. Here again, it's not perfect, just better. There is racism here as well as lingering religious division, which often is the veneer for other sorts of divisions. It's entirely likely that a person of colour would not see much difference between the racism here and that in the US and elsewhere, but my white privilege shields me from that kind of experience. I am aware that my experience as an immigrant is hugely different than that of others, partly because I am the spouse of a citizen, partly because of my skin colour, and partly because of where I come from. Will Ireland eventually go the way of other countries and have a large far-right extremist segment of the population and political party or two? Almost certainly. People are people. History cycles. Just as the US will cycle out of the current situation, Ireland will probably cycle back into some nasty stuff, although it'll look different than the old days. But I was there and am here at particular moments in the cycle. I could see where things were heading in the US and knew it was best to leave. It happened that where we landed is in a much different part of their cycle. We went from a country moving backwards to one moving forward, which has been a fascinating experience.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">No matter how long I live here, I will never be Irish. It always used to make me laugh when, just after the 2016 US election, people would ask us where we're from and when we would tell them their face would fall and they would look sympathetically at us before saying, 'Well you're European now, so you're OK.' I'm not European, either. I know that to some degree, I will always be uncomfortably United Statesian, simply because that's where I was born and enculturated. But I also know that I never felt like I belonged there, either. I was enculturated there, but always was a little apart--always observing, analyzing, and figuring out what on earth was going on while understanding that the whole 'American dream,' suburban, upper middle class lifestyle I was supposed to be so grateful for just seemed weird and often baffling. I get it from an intellectual perspective, but I was always at a remove. I guess that's just easier and more comfortable for me here where I am in the proper role at last. I AM an outsider in every way and will be for as long as I'm here. And yet, societal infrastructure and attitudes are closer to my own ideas here than there. They recognize large issues here in a way that wasn't the case among people I knew in the US. The foundational understandings are different and more realistic here as are their attitudes towards themselves. They're not as insulated as people in the US, where the idea that they are the centre of the universe is sort of assumed. So for those reasons and more, I don't regret coming here and I'm grateful to have been able to do so. Who knows what will happen in the future. What I do know is that this experience of living in a different way--even though on the surface it doesn't look that different--has broadened and deepened my understanding of things both outside and inside myself, given me much to think about and consider, and made me a better person than I would have been without this experience. </div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-45492815296365483182023-10-24T11:48:00.002+01:002023-10-24T15:58:31.945+01:00Special Circumstances<div style="text-align: left;"> On Sunday afternoon, the local GAA men's football club won the Donegal championship. This meant an excuse for the locals to get drunk and yell for hours and hours. Not that excuses are needed--they do this anyway, albeit not quite to the same degree. Anyway, loud thumping music began at about 7:45 and went on until 3 am. This was accompanied by screaming and yelling and attempts to sing along. They played Queen's 'We Are the Champions' 5 times in a row. This was all quite near our home. Annoying.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday, Monday, the thumpy 'music' began at 2:30 in the afternoon, went on for a couple of hours, stopped for an hour, then went on for a couple more hours. At 1 am, I went to bed. It was quiet and I was tired from getting little sleep the night before. At 2:30 this morning, I was awakened by pounding music. The lights were on in the beer garden of a nearby bar, which had been dark when I went to bed. At 4:30, they were yelling along to the Cranberries song Zombie. At 5, the music stopped.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At 3 am, after being woken up but before the Zombie experience, I was standing in the living room emailing a guy (I'll call him Bob, although that's not his real name) I'd corresponded with a few months ago about the noise. He'd sent a warning letter and the music did end up stopping slightly earlier for a while. I also sent an email to the office of a TD (like a US senator, kind of) about this issue--I'd contacted his office a couple weeks ago to get an answer to a question that had not been answered by Bob, and that was: At what time does the noise have to stop or move inside? Interestingly, no one gave me an answer. I was told to call Gardai (police), when the noise was disruptive at late hours, but how can I do that if I don't know what hours they are allowed to be loud? So I asked both again and this time I got an answer. It's 11:30 Sunday-Thursday and 12:30 Friday and Saturday, according to Bob, but there are certain special circumstances that allow for later times. Winning the football match is one of them, apparently, although it is still unclear to me how long the 'special circumstance' lasts. I hope two days is enough. Bob said he would send another warning letter and call them as well. He has been helpful. He again said I should call the gardai every time there is a problem. I told him about what I was told by a garda spouse, which was that they won't touch this kind of thing because people will hate them and often they are in the pubs after hours themselves. In this case, the pub seems to cater to young males, which, as Bill has pointed out, is exactly the problem. We lived a few doors down from a pub in a different Irish town which had live music all the time--never heard a peep from the pub-goers. The music was trad music,which we never heard--we just knew from the signs announcing the music. There was no screaming in the pub or on the street. There were numerous pubs, but not the level of loud public drunkenness that exists here.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So anyone planning a trip to Ireland, beware. This kind of thing happens in rural and the few urban areas that exist here. Drunk people wander around yelling, pubs play loud music, and in some urban areas, homeowners have to clean up vomit and feces from their property. They like to blame tourists, but it's not just down to that. I'd say the problem is local, not from away. Some places we've lived don't have this issue, but this one does in a big way. So when planning accommodation, tourists should take care to not book a place near pubs just in case. And be mindful of any 'special circumstances' like GAA games and fairs and festivals when things get worse. This is an expensive place to travel to, from what I understand, and it would be a shame to have a trip ruined by this kind of crap!</div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-22588342259158360782023-10-21T10:31:00.003+01:002023-10-21T10:31:00.140+01:00The Wisdom of Sheep<div style="text-align: left;"> The Wisdom of Sheep & Other Animals: Observations from a Family Farm</div><div>by Rosamund Young</div><div><div>ISBN<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9780571368259</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIm0fGd8hQlc5Kp-Ev_18P8S_8ERgwMf9V6lTu0_LWd3_9IXDYT2UVTMfxXlASilhC-Xz5xKT6meet2OUXoO1rO13c-atFb1_A0punoqCuRsmqPUv_lt4H1fNQlgOPf-rJmS5POeyf95rYeZZQ51nUUVEo_PNBI5oZIQTjxiklynCez_SR4aNkLTyRLW0/s410/sheep.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="255" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIm0fGd8hQlc5Kp-Ev_18P8S_8ERgwMf9V6lTu0_LWd3_9IXDYT2UVTMfxXlASilhC-Xz5xKT6meet2OUXoO1rO13c-atFb1_A0punoqCuRsmqPUv_lt4H1fNQlgOPf-rJmS5POeyf95rYeZZQ51nUUVEo_PNBI5oZIQTjxiklynCez_SR4aNkLTyRLW0/w398-h640/sheep.png" width="398" /></a></div><div>Rosamund Young grew up on a farm and has farmed her whole life. Now she runs a farm with her brother, Richard, and her partner, Gareth. This book is a collection of some of her stories about being a farmer, the animals on her farm, and her interactions with them. She anthropomorphizes throughout and is quite sure she knows what each animal is thinking and trying to communicate to her. That may or may not be off-putting for readers, but I just took this with a pinch of salt and enjoyed the stories for what they are. The title highlights sheep, and there are stories about sheep, but most are about the cows. That's fine--they are all entertaining stories and very enjoyable to read. A few of them did end quite abruptly and seemed like they weren't quite finished. I would have liked to have read more about these particular situations. Overall, however, the book was fun to read. I kept thinking that it's a pleasant book. It seems like it'd be a great book to have around so it could be picked up and opened at random whenever one wanted a pick-me-up or just had a few minutes in which to be entertained. It's that kind of book--it would make an already good day even better and would provide a few minutes of ease in a more difficult day. Or it can be enjoyably read in sequence from start to finish as I read it. .</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks toNetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.</div><div><br /></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-33704167074311651982023-10-20T10:30:00.006+01:002023-10-20T16:15:07.610+01:00Human Origins: A Short History<div style="text-align: left;"> Human Origins: A Short History</div><div>by Sarah Wild</div><div><div>ISBN<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9781789295788</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ccSX8F15f-zgggKlhHIkvOjAUNcXI14IrYlzAIjKpur_usJ36AsBzwvoq_vWyRo8YWaNy9-C-O63yVwdXUG9KBtxFmUO3mkBMTh9rG8cD8THzbUo0yvgeKd54zjX7j_-HAabHXB5G7MY7RjmdnJ5wZo4IhrpZiLoqIbp1K9p6-ZVSBwaa9FiZuPZi3w/s385/human.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="255" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ccSX8F15f-zgggKlhHIkvOjAUNcXI14IrYlzAIjKpur_usJ36AsBzwvoq_vWyRo8YWaNy9-C-O63yVwdXUG9KBtxFmUO3mkBMTh9rG8cD8THzbUo0yvgeKd54zjX7j_-HAabHXB5G7MY7RjmdnJ5wZo4IhrpZiLoqIbp1K9p6-ZVSBwaa9FiZuPZi3w/w424-h640/human.png" width="424" /></a></div><br /><div>At the beginning of this book, the author states, "The aim of this book is to break the complex human story into bite-sized chunks, to highlight the broad trends and the major disagreements--and there are many disagreements...I have also tried to highlight how much our understanding of human origins has changed--and continues to change--and how, in some ways, palaeoanthropology showcases some of the best features of scientific inquiry..." (p6) Does she succeed at the task she has set for herself? Indeed she does! She skillfully weaves the many threads of the story of human origins into a very readable, informative, fascinating narrative. Along the way, some threads get dropped and new ones picked up as more evidence becomes available. The search for the definitive story of how we--Homo sapiens sapiens--became the last homo species left will probably never be completely understood. The clues are random and necessarily fragmentary. We only have what turns up in the archaeological record. Then there is the interpretation of what is found, which often leads to disagreement between scientists. There is broad agreement that anatomically modern humans have been around for about 300,000 years, but how we got to that point and what happened to the other human species is still being explored. One 'fun fact' in the book was that Homo sapiens is the only hominin species (the lineage of species that diverged from chimpanzees 6 to 7 million years ago and resulted in us) to have a chin, as far as scientists know, and they don't know why. This book is a great overview of the current state of thinking about human origins. It explains things without getting deep into jargon--general readers will find the book fascinating, highly readable, and informative. My one quibble was the explanatory boxes that were placed in the middle of the text. They provided important information, but the placement did interrupt the narrative flow for me, so I ended up just reading each chapter, then going back to read the text within the boxes. That's a minor issue, though, and about organization, not the excellent book itself. This is a small book, but there is much food for thought within it.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-5937193900770846852023-10-19T10:38:00.002+01:002023-10-19T11:09:20.102+01:00The Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights<p>The Winter Spirits:Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights</p><p>by Bridget Collins; Imogen Hermes Gowar; Natasha Pulley; Jess Kidd; Andrew Michael Hurley; Elizabeth Macneal; Laura Purcell; Kiran Millwood Hargrave; Stuart Turton; Catriona Ward; Laura Shepherd-Robinson; Susan Stokes-Chapman</p><p>ISBN<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9781408727584</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtU6x6PVLKnIW1qysO29RpmHoi09snTvKfylQYuNfPobtWMX_I4Klbn1ZZhyHxFvyGh-fiPhh0603HKC4maCbX0EfscNHHnUmSCTmNC5oA6Ds70fw9e9vYJMrVtiwe5HNYPZuPIo8rCqqH30ieQzWVCLRbZg9pMThuGJ4m3MbPAwmEwZX35j_ij1iajM/s475/winter%20spirits.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="295" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtU6x6PVLKnIW1qysO29RpmHoi09snTvKfylQYuNfPobtWMX_I4Klbn1ZZhyHxFvyGh-fiPhh0603HKC4maCbX0EfscNHHnUmSCTmNC5oA6Ds70fw9e9vYJMrVtiwe5HNYPZuPIo8rCqqH30ieQzWVCLRbZg9pMThuGJ4m3MbPAwmEwZX35j_ij1iajM/w398-h640/winter%20spirits.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Avenir Book"; font-size: 17.3333px;">Here is a collection of Christmas stories with a twist, solidly in the holiday ghost story tradition. And what a fabulous collection it is! Usually in any short story collection there is at least one story that I am not that thrilled about. Not so here. Each story was wonderful in its own chilling way. These are not holly jolly Christmas stories, There is a sense of menace and creepiness to all of them. One story was like Bluebeard with a twist and another reminded me in a vague way of The Lottery. Settings range from old country houses to remote island villas to a small house next to a church in a seaside village and more. The writing is superb. In her story, The Gargoyle, Bridget Collins describes 'window boxes foaming with lobelia.' What a perfect description! All the stories take place at Advent, Christmas, or New Year's Eve. This is my first time reading most of these authors, but I would happily read more of their work based on this collection. I was a little sorry when I got to the end--glad to have had the reading experience, but bummed that it was over. Definitely 5 stars! And isn't the cover image great?! I've just noticed they changed the cover from 'frosty nights' to 'festive nights.' My copy had the former.</span></p><p>Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a digital ARC.</p>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-62782443478415572022023-09-22T19:46:00.000+01:002023-09-22T19:46:06.883+01:00So Many, So Little<div style="text-align: left;"> Last year, I participated in Victober--when people read Victorian literature in October and discuss on youtube and Goodreads. When I was reading some of the threads, I learned about the <a href="https://www.serialreader.org/" target="_blank">Serial Reader app</a>, which I had never heard of. I immediately went to learn more about it and within a few minutes, I'd downloaded it and started going through the options. I haven't looked back. I've been using the app daily for almost a year and I love it. They send the books you choose in installments that they estimate will take between 10 and 20 minutes to read.The books are all in the public domain so it's all older books. There are well-known books and authors available, as well as obscure and unknown (at least to me) books and authors. There are long books (The Complete Sherlock Holmes, for example is over 250 installments) and short stories that are two or three installments. There is a wide variety of genres, which is cool. I've read books in genres that are among my favourites, like old mysteries and I have read work that is old sci-fi, a genre I normally don't read. Some of the latter have been truly strange, but I find them fascinating nonetheless. It's interesting to see what people thought life would be like in the future. I read a book published in 1894, written by a French astronomer, about a comet that was going to hit the earth. He forsaw the EU. Another, published in 1836, was about a guy who was transported 300 years into the future, which put him close to the present day, if I remember correctly. There were all kinds of things the author imagined life would be like, but in the story, large blocks of ice were still being transported to China by ship. Mary Griffith, the author, who is considered the first female utopian writer in the US, couldn't foresee freezers, apparently. Some of the books I've read have been wonderful, some have been weird, some have been not my cup of tea. But because it's just a short installment each day, it's easy to keep reading. There has only been one book that I decided not to finish after reading a couple of installments and that was a Willa Cather book, the name of which escapes me at the moment. I've tried a different book of hers in the past and didn't finish that, either, so I've concluded that she's just not for me. Anyway, if you're into classics, I highly recommend this app.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Besides that, my reading plans were recently upended, but in a good way. I was at the point where I had about 300 pages left to read of Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens. Then I got this in the post:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLEO9C6nufjTUimfn3q6OBqKuvK6JnaRZT-KxBBcF6oifdSBPSSZvnvOnO4RJNTXVDkxi9JTGwgajxH7TEK3HvbXCexAldITglatXrQoqozdpKJj21zic5q0Yp7zXIl48oefl1VwXFrh68iIXademxT_d1l9XchiT4rxTRk9k_-GQJjsHqnORPxRtv-A/s569/davis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="345" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLEO9C6nufjTUimfn3q6OBqKuvK6JnaRZT-KxBBcF6oifdSBPSSZvnvOnO4RJNTXVDkxi9JTGwgajxH7TEK3HvbXCexAldITglatXrQoqozdpKJj21zic5q0Yp7zXIl48oefl1VwXFrh68iIXademxT_d1l9XchiT4rxTRk9k_-GQJjsHqnORPxRtv-A/w242-h400/davis.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>Several weeks ago, I <a href="https://shariburke.blogspot.com/2023/08/our-strangers-by-lydia-davis.html" target="_blank">reviewed</a> Davis' new book, Our Strangers. I loved that book so much that I wanted to read her previous work, so I went to the library website and requested The Collected Stories. Bill found a copy online and bought it for me, so I cancelled the library request. I'm thrilled to have my own copy, because it's the kind of book that is great to read in chunks.<div><br /></div><div>Shortly after that, the postman dropped off another book parcel. Bill had found this book at <a href="https://www.kennys.ie/" target="_blank">Kenny's</a> and bought it for me:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1u3ahScA_RXbN4NnfQemphRFn0301DpAHUyrSo_Y4EgkBHoGoOLM-cp1MnIN-V3Ni7FZoB49-buZq0U4UZrCm6VZ5BkXeSS3MpiTklK9hXEn3ovn_-84jcse0igLxoW1VhGMJ6hNbCS9pv_vPmQEpNlOVur-XTnLWOCrHhtSKYLy6_kYUl1R53f2xyM/s631/100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="435" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1u3ahScA_RXbN4NnfQemphRFn0301DpAHUyrSo_Y4EgkBHoGoOLM-cp1MnIN-V3Ni7FZoB49-buZq0U4UZrCm6VZ5BkXeSS3MpiTklK9hXEn3ovn_-84jcse0igLxoW1VhGMJ6hNbCS9pv_vPmQEpNlOVur-XTnLWOCrHhtSKYLy6_kYUl1R53f2xyM/w276-h400/100.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>What a fabulous book it is, too! I am almost at the halfway point and I am loving it so far! But I ended up having to set that aside, too, because suddenly books I'd requested from NetGalley weeks ago got approved all at once and a couple are close to publication date by now. I already had a few others on my shelf, so those 4 got added. I've been reading those books for the past week or so. And the icing on the cake is the new Agatha Christie autumnal short story collection that appeared on the 'new ebooks' list at the library website. I reserved it and although it said it would be available in October, it came in the other day. <div><br /></div><div>I am not complaining, mind you. I think that an abundance of books is not a bad thing. I have a pin that says, 'so many books, so little time' and that about sums it up. If only there was somewhere I could click to request more hours in a day. 😀😁</div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933855269189267994.post-2916603834475104412023-09-17T11:13:00.001+01:002023-09-17T11:35:48.745+01:00Sunday Spine-ku<div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Here are a couple of spine-ku, as I call these short spine poems, on a Sunday morning. Now back to coffee!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxExov_SlKy1tUlxCpFgedI6VW5UiBGd1uP8klIxXR7JZ14usf79gwQIIB8EVYu1H9Bjf1XZUiCwRhxN3VN5ZEi2HHkWj8dtaYsa6MG3QzJ19PYDhr0QvLAnVh1-UbP2DNj9R5sqkFfLbTEL13Rm18Fi_TYa74h1MCL6EyrOkhshYa5cR9q71zJLSCWvk/s486/17%20sept%2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="486" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxExov_SlKy1tUlxCpFgedI6VW5UiBGd1uP8klIxXR7JZ14usf79gwQIIB8EVYu1H9Bjf1XZUiCwRhxN3VN5ZEi2HHkWj8dtaYsa6MG3QzJ19PYDhr0QvLAnVh1-UbP2DNj9R5sqkFfLbTEL13Rm18Fi_TYa74h1MCL6EyrOkhshYa5cR9q71zJLSCWvk/w400-h269/17%20sept%2023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A natural curiosity</div><div style="text-align: left;">Frankenstein</div><div style="text-align: left;">family album</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Books are A Natural Curiosity by Margaret Drabble, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and Family Album by Penelope Lively--all happen to be published by Penguin.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjTlhs9cPoDxxcIh97J30xy39_Yn0BDenzgHbLBp18OkxrEe_ZnXWjuyGg1qRBAnAyoxCCc2hhNluYrcT9KPDchlDmhQ2iYTjw-NTi7J73HfEhh-JIFX7hd8bbOXRMqnoiXb4xD-UJjuqA1F8pftcsdk3COycc_QKR4cOfcoxQiKGrv6gplcoQN-ozgk/s527/17%20sept%2023%20b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="527" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjTlhs9cPoDxxcIh97J30xy39_Yn0BDenzgHbLBp18OkxrEe_ZnXWjuyGg1qRBAnAyoxCCc2hhNluYrcT9KPDchlDmhQ2iYTjw-NTi7J73HfEhh-JIFX7hd8bbOXRMqnoiXb4xD-UJjuqA1F8pftcsdk3COycc_QKR4cOfcoxQiKGrv6gplcoQN-ozgk/w400-h275/17%20sept%2023%20b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Five<div>literary women</div><div>to the lighthouse</div><div><br /></div><div>Books are Five by Doris Lessing, an old Penguin collection of 5 of her short novels, Literary Women by Ellen Moers a nonfiction work published by the Women's Press, and To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, Wordsworth Edition. </div><div><br /></div><div>Although I got this one in a charity shop, Wordsworth Editions are my favourite for classics and when I am looking for a classic online at <a href="https://www.kennys.ie/" target="_blank">Kenny's</a> I try to get those--they always have good informative introductions (which should always be read after reading the book because there are spoilers) and good notes. Penguin and Oxford are good, too, but I like Wordsworth best.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Shari Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301342910803447836noreply@blogger.com7